The Hyde Amendment says federal funds can't be used for abortions. So that means women on Medicaid, as well as federal employees, members of the Peace Corps and military — women who get health insurance through the government — can not have abortions covered by their insurance.

Many of the nation's most vulnerable women, including those who are low-income, young and minorities, are hurt by this law.

They made that clear in this letter, which was led by Representative Barbara Lee of California, a major leader in this fight.

The letter reads,

For too long, low-income women and women of color have shouldered the burden of our country's restrictive reproductive health laws.

The lawmakers demand Trump eliminate the Hyde Amendment as well as other budget rules that restrict abortion access.

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It notes one in four women eligible for Medicaid who would have gotten an abortion if they had the money “must carry the pregnancy to term.”

This denial of abortion access has economic impact. The letter notes a recent study found women who are denied abortion access are more likely to fall into poverty than women who are not denied access.

The Democrats write,

Every person should be treated with dignity, compassion and respect — and that includes upholding a woman's right to make her own decisions about whether to end a pregnancy.

Alexandra is the Senior News Editor at Elite Daily. She previously worked at HuffPost and has been published in Vox, Glamour, Refinery 29, Mic, Cosmopolitan and Quartz. Find her on Twitter / FB @asvokos and at tinyletter.com/asvokos

Alexandra is the Senior News Editor at Elite Daily. She previously worked at HuffPost and has been published in Vox, Glamour, Refinery 29, Mic, Cosmopolitan and Quartz. Find her on Twitter / FB @asvokos and at tinyletter.com/asvokos